Bobby Petrino (left) with Louisville president James Ramsey and athletic director Tom Jurich. / The Courier-Journal

by Jonathan Lintner, USA TODAY Sports

by Jonathan Lintner, USA TODAY Sports

New Louisville coach Bobby Petrino met with media Thursday at a press conference in the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium press box to discuss his second stint at the university following coach Charlie Strong's departure to Texas.

"It's great to be back home," Petrino said in his opening remarks. "This is our home. I'm so excited to come back."

After thanking Western Kentucky's athletic director and president, Petrino said he's "going to make the most of the opportunity" presented at Louisville by athletic director Tom Jurich.

"No question about that," Petrino said, adding that "my first mistake was ever leaving the University of Louisville."

Later, Petrino said, "I think Tom understands this is where I want to finish my career."

He joked that contractually, he won't have much choice. His buyout is $10 million and the contract for seven years and $3.5 million per year. Putting that in perspective, it cost Louisville $11 million to leave the American Athletic Conference.

"A buyout to me is not even important. He told me to put $100 million in there," Jurich said. "He wants to stay here. He wants 15 years."

Jurich said the contract also has a morals clause.

Petrino quickly got to his goals at Louisville with the Cardinals entering the Atlantic Coast Conference: win the league, get in the four-team College Football Playoff and win a national title.

"We're going to build on everything coach Strong started here," he said.

Should he have that success, maybe as soon as next year, Petrino said he's got to "come right out and say it" - that he has no interest in coaching anywhere else.

How else has Petrino changed?

He said he pays more attention to family these days. He also "coaches the person as much as the player."

But Jurich wanted more proof. He asked Petrino, "Do you have enough courage to look me in the eye and tell me you've changed? If you lie to me, I'll kill you."

Jurich added that he spoke with ACC commissioner John Swofford, who was in favor of hiring Petrino.

Jurich called the week, which started with Charlie Strong leaving for Texas, a whirlwind.

"I didn't expect that to happen," Jurich said.

He said he cut the list of potential candidates down to seven quickly as interviews started.

"It kept leading me back to Bobby Petrino," Jurich said. "Bobby and I have a lot of history together. A lot of it's great. A lot of it's not great."

Petrino's family attended the press conference with him. It followed a meeting with the U of L Athletic Association's personnel committee gave the hire unanimous approval.

Petrino said he started thinking about Louisville as soon as he found out Strong was headed to Texas, but he first heard of mutual interest from WKU's athletic director, Todd Stewart.

"We had a great day and a long discussion," Petrino said of his eventual interview with Jurich. "I think I got there at noon and left town" after 9 p.m.

It took a while for Jurich and Petrino to reconnect after he left for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, the coach said, "but I was able to reach out to Tom when I had my mistakes" at Arkansas.

To prove he's changed, "I'll always have a sign in our locker room that says, 'It's a show-me world,'" Petrino said. "It'll be up to me to show it."

He said he's both emotionally and contractually tied to Louisville.

Petrino said Clint Hurtt will remain on Louisville's staff. As for other coaches, he called it "a work in progress" and promised he'd move quickly on hires.

"There might be a few" coaches coming from WKU, he said.

Petrino also said he will evaluate Louisville's current recruits who are committed and start making phone calls Thursday.

Petrino met with Louisville's players on Thursday morning and plans to see them individually Thursday through Sunday.

"It was a short meeting, and the first thing I did was compliment them on how well they've done," Petrino said.

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In announcing the hire, Louisville published a page breaking down Petrino's past coaching history and numbers. It also revealed the Cardinals' full home slate for 2014: Florida State, Miami, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Wake Forest and Murray State.

"We have to do a great job in the transition," Petrino said. "A lot of times change is really hard on everybody. We have to get through that quickly."

President James Ramsey said that in order for the program to continue its upward trajectory, "you've got to have the right people on the bus." Ramsey said he met with Petrino on Tuesday after he interviewed with Jurich.

"There's no question we've got the very best person to lead our Cardinal football team forward," Ramsey said. "It is Tom's recommendation, but it's supported by the university."

There's a clause in Petrino's contract that he must use his best efforts to schedule a home-and-home series with WKU.

Petrino's comments were quick: "I think we'll probably use our best efforts" to get that done.

And now WKU has a job opening. Petrino gave his recommendation to Jeff Brohm, the former Louisville quarterback and current Hilltoppers offensive coordinator.